Steering-wheel lock



T. D. STANLEY.

STEERING WHEEL LOCK.

AI'ILICAHUN mu) NOV. 17. 1919.

1 3'72, 1 0 Patented Man 22 M21.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. D. STANLEY.

STEERING WHEEL LOCK. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1919.

1,37%, 1 03, Patented Mar. 22, 1921,

2 SHEETS -SHEET 2.

Momma/1 onrrro STATES PATENT orries.

THEODORE D. fiTANLF-Y, F DETROIT, IHIGHIGAN, ASSIGNDR T0 LEI-AND LOCK EOMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

STEERING-WHEEL LOCK,

net egos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application flledfliovember 1-7, 19-19. SerieLHo. 358,617.

which form a art of this specification.

This inventlon relates to looks for the steering wheels of automobiles whereby the steering wheels may be heldin ino erative relation to the steering gear or mec anism, the parts being so disposed and arranged as to be easily assembled with and connected to a steering gear mechanism of well known type, without adding appreciably to the structure of the steering post upon which the mechanism is placed. a

The invention consists in the matter hereinai'ter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims 2-- Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section, with arts in elevation of a steering post and w eel with connectinghmechamsm, together with a locking device t at embodies features of the invention, the parts being shown with the steering wheel in engaged or operative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar viewin section with the steeringv wheel in disengaged position.

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section taken on or about line 3- 3 of Fig. 1 with the position assumed by a locking ring when the wheel is disengaged, indicated by the dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a view in detail taken on or about line il of Fig. 2. p

Fig. 5 is a view in detail taken error about line 5-5 o'f'Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view in detail of a loclr.

Fig. 7 is a view in detail, greatlyenlarg'ed,

of the base plate of a cover togetherjwith a locking ring and lever and associated mecha nism, parts being broken away for clear view.

Fig. 8 is a view in detail of a thrust washer. v

In the drawings, a steering wheel column .A" as by hammering it, t e washer engaged, a block A has an enlarged u per end portion or cas I ing' A in which p anetary pinions a are housed in mesh with an inner gear annulus A secured to the casing, the pinions being so disposed that when driven by a main gear A", they operate the steering shaft or spindle A in the usual manner. 'A steering wheel spindle A and steering wheel A o erate the gear A the mechanism bein o the customary type and not by itse i forming, a featureof the invention, but the spindle A has a pilot A" that is reciprocatable and rotatable in the shaft A whereby the steering wheel and spindle may be raised in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the gear A completely disengaged from the pinions a.

' A cover is screw threaded or otherwise detachably secured on the casing .A. and has a boss I) in which the spindle A is journaled, the bore of the boss being counterbored to form a seat for the reception'of a thrust washer A against the upper. end face of the gear a v A base plate 6 is secured in the "cover as screws 6 as a support for a locking ring b C which swings on a pivot pin c, passing through a lug 0' of the ring and entering the base plate 5 A pair of lugs '0 oppositely disposed to the pivot lug o, are engaged by the ward d of the rotatable barrel d of the lock D secured in a boss b of the cover B, so that rotation of the barrel oscillates the ring on its pivot and, when the steering wheel is raised, to the position of Fig. 2, forces the ring under the washer A and thereby retains the gear A? out of mesh with the pinions A. To prevent displacement of the ring to neutral position by forcin down the s indie has an interrupted margin, so thatthe washer does notspri'ng down and tend to act as a wedge or cam to force the ring out of the way of the washer, as it might do if the washer was in tact, the severed portions jamming the mechanism when an attempt IS made to force the lockingdevice into enga ement in the manner stated.

0' prevent withdrawal of the cover B from the casing'A when the gear-A is dis- Ill. is slidable in the guide ortion b of the base plate 'b and 18 so "ormed that when projected. through the the lever, a mem plate it locks with the teeth of the internal gear A and thereby holds the cover from .rotation. As one means of obtaining the proper movement of the block E a spring 6 tends to force the block downward and in so doing, tends to swing a bell crank lever F, that is mounted on a lug b of the cover plate I). A lever G ispivoted as at g on the base plate 6 so that one end portion 9' of the lever underruns the locking ring C and bears against the side thereof. As the ring is swung into the position shown in Fig. 2 the lever G follows under the influence of the spring e which thereby forces the block E down, the lever F translating the motion of the block E to the otherwise free arm of the lever G. Reverse movement of the ring returns the block E to initial position sowthat the cover B is removable whenever the steering wheel mechanism is in gear.

As a detail of construction the casing of the lock D may be slotted as indicated at (13 So that it may be turned into en agement with a lug b on the base plate 6 t is holding the lock against withdrawal.

As a result of this construction a very simple ,and efficient locking means is obtained, the disposition of the parts preventing-"tampering with the same while the lock may be quickly and easily assembled in combination with the type of steering mechanism shown.

Obviously changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not care to limit myself to any particular form and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim -1. In a steering wheel locking device for automobiles, a casing and cover for housing the gearing of an automobile steering mechanism, means housed with the gearing and adapted when moved from initial position to hold the gearing inoperative, a lock for shifting the gear locking means, a lever pivoted on the cover, contacting at one end with the gear locking means, a bell crank pivoted on the cover to swing in a plane transverse to the plane of motion of the lever and operated b the other end portion of er reciprocable in the cover operated by the bell crank and a spring for projectingthe block and thereby maintainmg the lever in contact with the shifting gear lock means.

2. In a steering wheel locking device for automobiles, a main shaft, a casingaround the shaft, gearing housed in the casing for operating the shaft, 3. locking ring housed with the gearing adapted when moved eccentrically to lock the gearing, a cover detachabl secured on the casing, a member shiftab e in the cover to engage the casing and lock the cover thereon, a lever pivoted to swing in the plane of motion of the ring with one end portion abutting the ring, a bell crank pivoted to swing in a plane transverse to the lever motion and ada ted to translate the motion of the otherwise free arm of the lever to the member shiftable in the cover and a spring for projecting said member when the movement of the ring permits movement of the lever.

3. In a steering wheel locking device for automobiles, a casing housing the gearing of the steering mechanism, a cover detachably secured on the casing, a base plate on the cover, a gear locking ring pivoted to swing on the plate eccentrically into engagement with the gearing, a leverpivoted on the plate to swing against and follow the ring, a bell crank pivoted to swing on the plate transversely to the lever, a block reciprocatable through the base plate into engagement with the casing for locking the cover on the casin and operatively connected by the bell cran to the lever, and a spring operating and {projecting the block into engagement wi h the casing when the movement of the ring .permits movement of the lever and bell crank.

t. In a steering wheel locking device for automobiles, a casing a planetary gearing within the casing including an inner gear annulus secured to the casing and planetary mnions in mesh therewith, a. driving gear normally in mesh with the pinions and axially movable out of mesh and within a cover ietachably secured on the casing, a base plate on the cover through which the main gear 18 movable, a ear locking ring pivoted on the plate an adapted to swing unier the withdrawn main gear into eccentric relation with the planetary system, a lever p1voted on the plate to swing against and follow the ring, a block reciprocable through the plate into engagement with the 1111161 gear annulus, a spring adapted to project the= block into such engagement'and a bell crank pivoted to swing transversely to the lever and adapted to connect the lever and block whereby the spring projects the block when the movement of the ring permits movement of the lever.

5. In a steering wheel locking device for automobiles, a casing and a movable cover for housing the gearing of an automobile steering mechanism, a planetary gearing within the casing including an internal gear and planetary pinions in mesh therewith and a driving gear in mesh with the pinions and manually movable axially out of mesh and within the cover, means housed with the gearing and ada ted when moved from initial position to old the earing inoperative. a lock for-shifting t e gear locking means. a lever pivoted within the cover, contacting at one end with the gear locking means. a bell crank pivoted within the cover to swing in a plane transverse to the plane In testimony whereof, I sign this specifiof motion of the lever and operated by the cation in the presence of two witnesses. other end portion of the lever, a. member reciprocatable in the cover operated by the THEODORE D. STANLEY. 5 bell crank and a spring for projecting the Witnesses:

block and thereby maintaining the lever in SAMUEL E. THOMAS,

contact with the shifting gear lock means. LOUIS F. HAWKINS. 

